


I See Meteorologist Isn't on Your List of Potential Career Paths

by UnitedKatesofAmerica



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Almost Car Accident, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Weather, Developing Relationship, Enthusiastic Consent, Episode: s19e19 Sunk Cost Fallacy, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Panic Attacks, Pre-Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Sex, Smut, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-06 02:00:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19052977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnitedKatesofAmerica/pseuds/UnitedKatesofAmerica
Summary: "Remind me again, Carisi, why you decided that it was so important that I attend this conference with you?""Because," Carisi reasoned, "it's the Annual Forum on Criminal Justice! It's like, the best of the best, and this year's focus is all about using policy and research to implement reform across the justice system. I figured it would be good for both of us to stay caught up in all the latest and greatest so we can be on our 'A' game.""That may be a concern for you, but I can promise you that I am always on my, as you say, 'A' game," Rafael quipped.





	I See Meteorologist Isn't on Your List of Potential Career Paths

**Author's Note:**

  * For [icedcoffeebro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/icedcoffeebro/gifts).



> Happy Birthday, icedcoffeebro! I hope this ticks all your boxes and gives you that little extra love on your birthday!!!! I'm very thankful for our Twitter convos!!!
> 
> Also, thanks to Kat for screaming with my 24/7 about our fics.
> 
> In this fic, Undiscovered Country never happened! Rafael is still ADA and they're still in love. JK but (;
> 
> Enjoy and let me know what you think!!
> 
> *****Warning, close to the beginning, Barba and Carisi have a close call with a car accident (no detectives or lawyers were farmed in the making of this fic), and Sonny slightly panics (after the events that happened in Sunk Cost Fallacy, I think it's only right. Our boy is traumatized). I am pulling from my personal experiences of having a panic attack, but everyone is different. There's nothing too major and then it's fluff from there on out!*****

**Record breaking rain fall happening currently across the entire East Coast. Expect flooding along major roadways with dime to quarter size hail. Remember: Turn around. Don't drown. This has been your weather update with Jack Larson, WJLA, News Channel 7.**

"That's comforting," Rafael huffed as he jammed his finger down onto the radio's power button, plunging the car into momentarily silence. "Whoever came up with that slogan needs to be fired immediately." 

"C'mon, Barba, it's not that bad," Carisi shrugged as well as he could with both hands firmly clasped around the wheel, knuckles tight with the strength of his grip. "I checked the radar this morning, as long as we can get through Philadelphia without hitting the worst of it, we should be in the clear all the way to Virginia." 

Rafael hummed and nodded, head turned to look out the window, the steady downfall of rain melting the landscapes into misshapen, blurry blobs of green and brown. It would almost be relaxing had the ADA been tucked away in the safety and comfort of his Manhattan apartment.

The cabin of the truck fell into companionable silence with the only the quiet patter of the rain against the frame of the car to accompany it for well over half an hour until Rafael couldn't bare it any longer. 

"Remind me again, Carisi,  _why_ you decided that it was _so_ important that I attend this conference with you?"

" _Because_ ," Carisi reasoned, "it's the Annual Forum on Criminal Justice! It's like, the best of the best, and this year's focus is all about using policy and research to implement reform across the justice system. I figured it would be good for both of us to stay caught up in all the latest and greatest so we can be on our 'A' game." 

"That may be a concern for you, but I can promise you that I am always on my, as you say, 'A' game," Rafael quipped. 

Carisi laughed. "Alright, alright, so maybe you don't _need_  the conference, but, well, I figured you would get more out of it than Fin any day." 

"I can imagine Detective Tutuola would only be interested in the meal comps and after hour events," Rafael mused, "but I'm sure he would have had some...interesting commentary to add to the conversations." 

"That's putting it nicely," Carisi said, his jaw clenching as a sudden gust of wind tried to push the car into the next lane. He decelerated and took a steady breath. "I still really appreciate you coming with me, Barba, even if you complain about it the whole time. Hell, it probably wouldn't be the same if you _didn't_...so thanks." 

What Carisi didn't know, and most certainly  _would_ hurt Rafael--in some sense of the word--was that he would have accepted just about any excuse to spend more time with the Staten Islander outside of work. He valued their working relationship more than he was willing to let on in and outside of the courtroom, for argument's sake that he was in no was playing favoritism by the time, _if_ , Carisi ever decided to put his law degree to use. 

But that was only the tip of the iceberg, and Rafael found he wasn't willing to indulge the thoughts on a more... _precarious_ nature of why he craved so much to be in Carisi's presence.

So Rafael decided not to comment, green eyes searching the side profile of Carisi's face a moment longer when he was certain the Detective wasn't paying him any mind before he turned to look back out the front windshield where the increased rainfall steadily shifted from down pouring to torrents of rain pounding the glass mercilessly. 

"I'm hoping this is the worst of it?" Rafael asked, toying with his Blackberry in his lap. "I'd hate to see what's on the horizon if it isn't." 

With pinched lips, Carisi nodded, more the jerk of his chin to his chest as the grip around the steering wheel tightened until his knuckles were white. "I might have miscalculated a bit...but weather's finicky on a good day so, y'know. It happens." 

"Finicky," Rafael repeated, "I see Meteorologist isn't on your list of potential career paths now that you're finished with Law School."

"It's a funny story, actually, you see--" Carisi's story was cut off abruptly as the car lurched violently to one side, the words strangled in his throat as he tried to gain control of the car again.

Rafael bit his lip until he could taste the copper tang of blood to stifle the scream welling in his throat as the car swerved back across the four-lane highway.

What in reality was only forty-five seconds, but felt more like a lifetime to the ADA, the car weaved back and forth before finally slamming to a stop on the outside shoulder. 

The rushing of blood in his ears was deafening, unable to decipher the difference between either of their breathing until he found his, albeit weak, voice. 

"My doctor will be happy to know I won't need a stress test done for another year," Rafael rasped as he looked out his window to take stock of their surroundings, hand shakily splayed over his chest as if it could stop the thundering of his heart inside his ribcage.

Two pale, trembling hands assaulted his body before he could twist to see who they belonged to, the thickened, wheezed Staten Island accent giving the owner away before he could turn to properly look at the man beside him. 

"Oh G-God, are you ok-okay, are you hurt?" Carisi all but yelled as he struggled against his chair to get closer to Rafael, his lanky frame confined to his seat from the seatbelt locking itself when they'd lost control of the car. "I'm s-sorry, I'm _so_ sorry, f-fuck, Barba, are you okay? I-I don't know what-what happened...it's m-must've been, maybe the car-car hydroplaned or-or...I'll never f-forgive myself if some-something happened--" 

"I'm fine, I'm okay. Carisi, I _said_  I'm fine," Rafael insisted, repeating the same two words despite the fact the it didn't seem to register with the other man, batting at his hands unsuccessfully. "Carisi, _stop_ it _._ I'm not hurt."

The word 'stop' was more effective than a bucket of cold water to Carisi who abruptly flinched away, hands trembling as he covered his face to hide, the wheezing sound only intensified as the air tried to push through his tightly cupped fingers. 

Rafael's brows furrowed together as he tried to figure out how to handle Carisi's building panic.

In all honestly, what happened could have been _much_ worse, but the man was handling it like he'd just killed somebody. 

And then it hit him, all the air rushing from his lungs at the memory.

The Hunter Case. 

_"How's Carisi?" Rafael asked as casually as he could managed the moment he joined Olivia at the bar, an eyebrow quirked as he took stock of the two empty wine glasses at Olivia's elbow and the one in her hand._

_"He's a little wobbly, a lot guilty," Olivia shrugged after setting down her glass, lips pulled to one side. "But he'll survive 'em both."_

"Carisi," Rafael tried, keeping his voice low and soft as he unbuckled his seatbelt and turned in his seat until he left knee was digging uncomfortably into the center console so he could really _look_ at the other man.

Carisi seemed too lost in the memories of the last accident to hear, or notice, him move closer. 

"Sonny," Rafael tried again, "Sonny, you're okay, I'm okay." 

Sonny nodded shakily, but otherwise made no attempt to speak around the strangled gasps. 

Rafael counted it as progress. "Can I touch you? Is that alright?" 

Another nod. 

"You did good, Sonny..." Rafael said softly, reaching out to see if the other man would let him take his hands away and hold them between his own. "No one got hurt. It's okay." 

His gut twisted when it revealed splotchy, red, tear-stained cheeks, Sonny's usual pink, pouty lips bitten red and raw. "I-I...couldn't-I co--they--"

"I know," Rafael promised, exaggerating his slower breaths with their clasped hands pressed to his sternum in hopes that Sonny would eventually be able to copy him. "I know...but we're okay now, alright? Stay with me, right now, and try to breathe, Sonny, okay? Just breathe."

Another five minutes passed before Sonny seemed to settle, the far away look in his blue eyes disappearing as he finally turned to look at Rafael, the ADA's treacherous heart leaping at the sight of how  _blue_  his eyes looked despite the red tinge around them. 

"I, ugh, I'm sorry," Sonny mumbled, taking his hands back to wipe sheepishly at his face. "It's, y'know...I haven't had a car accident since--"

"You don't have to explain...I know," Rafael placed a hand on Sonny's shoulder and squeezed. "Do you think you can drive? I would offer but between you and I, you're better versed." 

Sonny cracked a tiny smile. "You admitting you're not the best at everything you do, Counselor?" 

"I don't drive, so I can't be anything in regards to how well I do it, technically," Rafael corrected, his hand still on Sonny's shoulder as he pulled his Blackberry up from where it had fallen onto the floorboard. 

After scrolling a few minutes, he sighed. "It doesn't look like the weather will be letting up anytime soon. There's an exit about two miles up with a hotel, if you think we can get there." 

"We're gonna miss the opening speaker for the conference," Sonny complained weakly, though he seemed set on getting situated to start the car back up and pull slowly back out onto the highway, going well under the speed limit. "But I don't think I can drive another 2 and a half hours, especially in this weather, so...might be best, for the night, anyway." 

Rafael nodded, neither one commenting on how he continued to keep some point of contact with the Detective until they were parked outside the hotel, just managing to find a spot.

The pair grabbed their bags and ducked into the front lobby between downpours, only getting partially soaked on the way.

After insisting that Sonny find a place to sit with the luggage, Rafael walked up to the front counter where a brightly smiling receptionist greeted him.

"Welcome, how can I help you?" The woman asked.

Rafael put on his best smile as his eyes skirted to the nameplate in front of her. "Hi...Janice, I'd like to get two rooms for the night, single beds." 

Janice's painted lips pulled into a frown. "I'm sorry, sir, but unfortunately with the weather, our space is very limited, we only have one room left vacant."

"I'm sure everyone else traveling had the same idea we had," Rafael agreed, "Alright, is it a double bed?" 

"It's not," she said, her tone apologetic as she typed into the computer system. "It might be able to fit one of the cots beside...oh-it looks like all the cots have been taken by other guests. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience." 

Rafael sighed, tamping down the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. Instead, he pulled out his card and offered it over the desk. "We'll just have to make it work, then, won't we? Here's you go." 

Janice nodded and went to work and after five minutes, Rafael was walking to join Sonny in the small seating area off to the side with two keys.

"Hey."

"Hey," Sonny exhaled and stood. "We all set? I can split the bill, or foot it, whatever's easiest." 

"Don't worry about it," Rafael waved off. "There is one slight...dilemma. There's only one room, and it's a single bed." 

"I can sleep on the floor," Sonny offered up immediately, shouldering his own bag and taking Rafael's in hand. "Or if they have a sofa, I can make that work too." 

Rafael shook his head. "Hotel sofa's are a few feet long at best, so unless you've been hiding some impressive contortionist skills, there's no way all of you is fitting on one." 

"Hey, you don't know how flexible I am," Sonny said, tacking on a wink before he seemed to realize how it could be taken, ears and cheeks tinged pink as he tried to backtrack. "I mean-ugh, growing up with three sisters, y'know, they all took gymnastics and I, um, didn't want to be left out. So." 

 _That_ was not an image Rafael needed if he was going to have to spend the night, however innocent, with the Staten Islander.

"Let's just get upstairs and to our room. The sooner we go to sleep, the sooner we're up and back on the road," Rafael hummed and turned towards the elevators, Sonny's footsteps echoing steadily behind him all the way up to the room. 

By the time they were settled, ordered room service, and showered, the two men sat awkwardly staring at the bed, both looking ready to argue over how to handle the arrangement. 

"You really should take the bed, Rafael," Sonny offered. "I mean, I'm used to crashing on a sofa, or in the crib at the station, and I don't want your back to be bothering you tomorrow morning." 

"Are you implying that I'm old?" Rafael asked, green eyes sharp as he motioned over to the bed. "It's a large enough bed, Sonny, I think we can both agree that we're adults and adults can share a bed without it being considered...improper." 

Sonny stammered over his words before he gave in and nodded, tugging at the flannel pajama bottoms and loose Mets shirt. "You have a side?" 

"A side?" Rafael asked, motioning with his hand for Sonny to elaborate. 

"Yeah, like," Sonny pointed to the left and right side of the mattress. "I didn't know if you have a preference to which side of the bed...I'd rather be closer to the door, if it doesn't matter to you." 

"Why, so you can get out quicker if there's a fire?" 

"Nah, no, not at all," Sonny said seriously, his eyes darting to the nightstand where his service weapon sat. "Just in case, so I can have a clear shot." 

Rafael tutted thoughtfully. "How admirable...I can sleep on the other side then, no arguments." 

The room lapsed into silence then as they turned off the lights and drew the curtains, plunging them into a quiet darkness. 

"No arguments? From you? Is the world ending?" Sonny asked, both men laughing quietly as they settled under the thin hotel sheets. 

Rafael turned on his side away from Sonny, fingers curled underneath his pillow as he tried to even his breathing. "Goodnight, Sonny." 

"Goodnight, Rafael," Sonny whispered, the mattress shifting as the Detective got comfortable before he spoke again, his voice hesitant. "....Rafael?"

"Hm?" 

"Thanks...for earlier." 

"You're welcome," Rafael murmured, eyes already heavy as he drifted into unconsciousness.

Not before he managed to get the last word in."I hope you know that I meant it...all of it."

The next time Rafael blinked awake and managed not to blind himself with his phone as he checked the time, it was just past 4am and he was _freezing._

He looked around to find the thermostat on the opposite wall, the small screen indicating that it was just under 67 degrees in the room. 

Loath as he was to admit it, Rafael had never done well in the cold.

He blamed it on his Cuban blood. 

As carefully as he could, Rafael shifted to his other side, unable to stop the smile on his face as he came face to face with a sleeping Sonny, the man's blond hair untamed and splayed in every direction against the pillow, bedsheets draped low across his hips. 

At some point during the time, the other man had turned to face Rafael _and_ closed the distance between them, Rafael's ankles brushing along Sonny's calves with every movement. 

It was...nice.

Even with the little space between them, Rafael could practically _feel_ the heat radiating off of the other man and subconsciously scooted closer, eyes shut under the false pretense he'd done it in his sleep. 

Hard to claim when Sonny  _actually_ subconsciously pulled Rafael into his chest almost immediately after, a long arm wrapped around Rafael's shoulder to keep him close, the other wedged between them. 

Rafael swore he stopped breathing for a moment, too afraid to wake Sonny and mess up the chance at being close with the man he'd longed to be like this with for so many years. 

Despite the nagging guilt that settled in his stomach of taking advantage of the sleeping man's unguarded affections, Rafael closed his eyes and let himself be wrapped in the warmth and comfort of Sonny's arms as he fell back asleep.

It wasn't until his alarm went off promptly at 7am did either man stir again, both stretching comfortably against each other in the dim morning light.

"Mornin'," Sonny mumbled, nosing into Rafael's hair with a sigh.

Rafael hummed in return, not quite awake or caffeinated enough for a full conversation.

What he _was_ awake enough for was to recognize the feeling of his own arousal pressing into Sonny's thigh that had managed to squeeze itself between his legs sometime during the night. 

_Dios mio, por favor no._

"Sleep well?" Sonny asked, either oblivious or unaffected by what was happening. 

Until Rafael felt the other man shift his hips and groan softly under his breath. 

Definitely _not_ oblivious, then. 

"Very well," Rafael tried for nonchalance, blinking up to meet Sonny's dreamy look. "...you?" 

"Yeah, better than I expected," Sonny admitted quietly. "Thought I might've had a nightmare, but y'know...you being here," he looked down to the embrace they'd yet to break or comment on. "I think it helped a lot." 

Rafael swallowed thickly, his lips only millimeters from brushing against Sonny's jaw. "...Good, that's-that's good." 

Sonny smiled and nodded, the curve of his bottom lip brushing Rafael's briefly. "Y'know what would be even better than good?" 

"What?" 

"If you put that morning wood to use and fucked me," Sonny whispered, the words shooting straight to Rafael's dick which twitched in anticipation. 

"Sonny..." Rafael murmured, bringing his hand up to cup the side of Sonny's neck, green eyes searching blue even as their bodies began to move purposefully against each other. "Are you sure you want this?"  

"I give you my explicit, enthusiastic, consent," Sonny promised, turning on his side away from Rafael to dig through his duffle before he offered the retrieved items to the other man sheepishly. "I really, _really_ want this." 

Rafael couldn't hold his tongue as he looked over the condom and packet of lube. "Are you always this prepared, Detective?"

Sonny shrugged, a coy smile on his lips as he quickly shed them both of their clothing and settled back in their previous position, both mean groaning as their erections slid together. "I might've had...ulterior motives for inviting you to the conference." 

"You wouldn't say," Rafael teased, dragging Sonny down for a deep, passionate first kiss.

Once they parted, both gasping for air, Sonny looked Rafael over. "What do you mean--you _knew_?" 

"More like hoped, and planned for the possibility," Rafael said offhandedly with a grin, "I have admit that I, well..." 

Sonny stopped the other man with another kiss, drawing Rafael's lower lip between his and soothing the bite mark that had begun to heal from the day prior with his tongue. "We can talk about feelings later, right...? I wanted your dick in me twenty minutes ago," he mumbled hurriedly between pecks. "Gotta get to the conference in time for the symposium on addressing public safety issues."

"I think your pillow talk needs some reforming," Rafael snarked, dragging his hands down the length of Sonny's body until he could wrap a hand around his shaft and tugged, earning a heady groan from the other man. "How do you want me?" 

Sonny gasped, the mere thought of all the ways he wanted Rafael making his hips cant forward. "Don't care...not awake enough to ride you, right now...maybe tonight." 

 _Tonight_. _This man was going to be the death of him._

"How about just like this?" Rafael suggested, guiding Sonny's shoulder until the man turned on his side and pressed his back against the length of Rafael's front, hitching his left leg up and over Rafael's hip. 

" _God,_ yes, please," Sonny begged, tearing at the lube packet and condom before offering it over his shoulder. "Would you like the honors or should I...?"

Rafael cursed under his breath and took the packets, unceremoniously rolling the condom down the length of his cock while using his free hand to steadily work Sonny into a writhing mess against his chest as he opened him up with his fingers. 

All too soon, but not soon enough, Rafael was sinking inside of Sonny with a garbled moan, his hand cupped around the inside of Sonny's thigh to keep his leg up as slowly rolled his hips forward until he was buried, his balls snug between the pert globes of Sonny's ass. 

"Shit, Raf-Rafael," Sonny gasped, turning his chin over his shoulder to meet Rafael in a slow, messy kiss. "Feels s-so good." 

Rafael greedily swallowed every sound Sonny made as they began to move in tandem, all too happy with the sleepy, pleasure-filled haze surrounding their bed in the early morning hours. 

"Say my name again," Rafael whispered, dragging the lobe of Sonny's ear between his teeth to nibble at it as his hand slid lower to stroke Sonny's shaft in time with his thrusts, feeling himself grow closer and closer to his orgasm. "I want you to same my name when you come, Sonny. This is my cock filling you up, coming in you. I want you to remember that." 

Sonny shuddered, various iterations of Rafael's name spilling from his lips at increasing levels of volume until he coated Rafael's hand and his own chest in milky-white stripes of come. 

Between that and the tight clench of Sonny's inner walls around him, it was enough to drag Rafael over the edge with him, leaving them both spent and sated in the wake of their orgasms. 

"That was," Sonny panted, shifting his hips until Rafael slipped from his body so he could turn and bury himself in the other man's chest with a yawn. "Wow...I never thought I'd be _that_  into morning sex but..." 

Rafael smiled and let himself press a lingering kiss to Sonny's brow as they basked in the afterglow, unperturbed by the mess that they'd made as they easily settled back into the sheets. "We have the room until 3pm...why don't we go back to sleep and have a repeat performance, if you liked it that much?" 

"Really?" Sonny looked up, mirth and something else, something deeper Rafael was afraid to put a name to, dancing in his blue eyes. "I'd like that a lot..." 

They'd have a lot to talk about after the morning was over, to decide what and where and how, _if_ , this could work.

But in that moment, Rafael was more than content to plant a soft kiss to Sonny's lips and nod as they both nestled closer. "Good...I may have an alarm already set for 11am." 

The sound of Sonny's quiet laughter filling the hotel room was worth the insecurities Rafael had felt before. 

 

 

 

 


End file.
